my father has a "pure silver dollar" from the year ~~~~~~~~~~~~~.?

Question

1881,how much would a coin like this be worth?its in excellent condition and it can be worn as a necklace.its pure silver.

Answer 1

It's either a trade dollar (very unlikely - extremely low mintage that year) or a Morgan dollar. Depending on mintmark your coin is worth between $20-$170 as a coin. However you said the coin can be worn as a necklace meaning the coin is damaged. This drastically decreases the value. If your coin has the CC mintmark (appears underneath the tail feathers of the eagle) then you'd likely still get more than $20 for it.

As was already mentioned, if nothing else, it's still worth the silver value. Bullion values can be found here:
http://www.kitco.com/market/

Value is largely dependent on condition, mint marks and the number of coins available.

1 - Take your coin to a local coin dealer (trustworthy ones can be found - shop around). It never hurts to get a second opinion. They will be able to tell you so much more by evaluation the condition of the coins. They will also know the amount minted and what it is going for in today's market.

2 - Try posting pictures on this website (there are many experts here that can help you evaluate it - there also may be people willing to buy if you are trying to sell):
http://www.coincommunity.com/forum/default.asp

3 - Repost this question and include pictures. You can use websites like http://www.photobucket.com and include the link in your question.

Good luck!

P.S. You should not clean your coins. Most coin collectors see cleaning a coin as the equivalent of stripping down antique furniture and refinishing it.

When cleaning, the surface metal of the coin is often stripped. Anything used to scrub the coin will leave scratches (even 100% pure silk will leave hairline scratches). Most cleaning products will have some type of reaction with the coin's metal and the surface metal can also be removed in this manner.

Your best bet is to leave the coins alone. Cleaning the coin will leave traces - which can be found by the knowledgeable collector - who in turn will not buy the cleaned coin. Also if you ever wanted to send your coin into a grading company, they can recognize signs of cleaning and will send your coin back in a "cleaned" slab (also called a "body bag" in the coin world) - which is usually a greatly decreased value.

If you absolutely must must must clean your coins do not use the method described above as it will react with the metal in your coin. Use 100% acetone (do not use fingernail polish remover!). It must be 100% pure because other additives will react with the coin metal. Place your coin(s) in the solution for several minutes (do not leave in for long periods of time). Rinse your coin(s) in distilled water. Next remove your coins and either pat dry with a soft cloth or allow the coin to air dry (air drying is better as you don't risk scratching the coin with the cloth). NEVER scrub your coins!

I would still advise you to leave your coins as they are. They may not be bright and shiny but that is what most collectors prefer.

Answer 2

Wearing it as a necklace makes the coin wear and it loses it's value as a collectible. The coins value is from $13.50 (very good) to about $17 (almost uncirculated), in circulated grades. The only 1881 Morgan dollar with a high value is the Carson City mint one, on the eagle side near the bottom under the wreath would be the mint mark CC. As was said it is only 90% silver the rest is copper. Hope this answers your question. Values given are about what a dealer would pay.

Answer 3

There are two ways to value a coin; intrinsic, which means the actual value of the metal, and collectible, which includes factors such as rarity and condition.

Silver, which is an extremely soft metal, comes in several grades.

.999 is commonly referred to as "pure", and is as refined as it is possible. I've used it for making links to weave into chain, by fusing, because with no alloys, it does not oxidize, and does not require solder.

Sterling is .925 silver and .075 copper. The copper DOES oxidize, which is what causes tarnish. Things made of sterling may or may not be stamped.

Coin silver is .900 silver, commonly alloyed with electrum, to make an extremely rigid metal.

I know very little about coin collecting, but you should research the dollar to see how many were minted, how many are estimated to still be around, and if they had any unusual minting artifacts, that sort of thing.

If you plan to wear it as a pendant, be sure to put it into a bezel that is made for silver dollars....do not solder or drill. And oils and acids from your skin can damage the metal.

Hope this helps.

Answer 4

It's not pure silver, it's 90% silver. If it's been handled and even used as jewelry, all it's worth is its current silver bullion value, between $12 - $13.

Answer 5

It's worth about $2.

Answer 6

Send me a picture and or some specific information and i can get a certified appraiser to give me a decent value.
LP :)